What are you doing about your pets?

[TrickyD]

DH thinks if an infected person strokes our cat, she can bring the virus into the house on her fur.

She is a young rescue cat and we only let her out for half an hour or so twice a day.She does not appear to leave the garden and comes back as soon as she is called .

Is DH’s fear really justified? Can the virus be transmitted like this? I am sceptical.

OP this could go on for months yet, are you really going to live like this isolated from your loved ones until it blows over?
I think the obsessiveness of this is going to damage your mental health if nothing else!

And I say this as somebody with serious health conditions so I am also high risk of catching it. This is no way to live! Wash your hands and don't touch your face, basic hygiene is all I'm doing to protect myself. I'm still going out just being cautious of what I touch etc.
I'm certainly not paranoid my cat will pass it on to me or my family although I would expect family to stay away if they're unwell, as I would if there was no CV!
What do your DC think?

If the cat in the street is a tortie then DO NOT TOUCH.

I dare anyone to pet my fact old grey boy. This is the cat that bit the postman because he tried to STOP petting him. 😁

My youngest cat is a proper tart - if anyone in our street have the virus then she will be bringing it home. She’s always out demanding cuddles.

Reading back over the responses to my post, it seems that DH was not particularly deranged at all.

Well, no, with all due respect OP if he's worried to the extent he's stopping your own children/grandchildren visiting on the back of a few hundred cases in a population of 60 odd million I'd argue he absolutely is over anxious

OP this could go on for months yet, are you really going to live like this isolated from your loved ones until this variant of flu blows over?

What are you doing about your pets?
I’m doing nothing, they will continue to free range around our estate and sleep on my bed.
What is your husband doing? Because he sounds unhinged! Honestly, this is a variant of flu. Does he worry every other year that Tiddles might bring home a new disease instead of a dead rodent?
Barricade yourselves indoors, get Ocado to leave your groceries on the drive, self isolate from work, school, gyms, clubs and pubs and hope that this all blows over.
Now, I’m off to the Winchester for a pint!

I hope you enjoyed your pint at the Winchester, PeterPanGoesWrong, as you won’t be having any more for some time, until the ‘variant of flu’ blows over.